


Say Cheese

by thegizka



Series: Ino Week 2019 [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Awkward Flirting, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-22
Updated: 2019-06-22
Packaged: 2020-05-16 05:11:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19311295
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegizka/pseuds/thegizka
Summary: The InoShikaCho Formation is a rising band currently on tour following the success of their first album.  With some free time before their performance in Konoha, Ino meets her best friend Sakura for lunch to catch up on the wild twists their lives have taken.Inspired by Ino Week 2019 Day 7:  AU.Note:  I do not own any of these characters.





	Say Cheese

Ino finished pinning the intricate braided twist of her hair before smoothing her long fringe.  Donning a floppy, wide-brimmed hat, she did an outfit check in her mirror. High-waisted lavender capris hugged her hips, and a few inches of well-toned stomach peaked out beneath the scalloped hem of her loose white crop top.  Chunky white sandals, a stack of thin bangles, and large ombre sunglasses completed the look. It was chic and anonymous without betraying her personal style. She was ready to go.

 

She sent a quick text to Asuma to let him know she was heading out before stepping into the midmorning sunshine.  Pulling the motel room door closed, she descended from the second floor walk, noticing as she passed that Shikamaru’s curtains were still drawn despite the morning stretching into lunchtime.  She had invited him and Chouji to join her, but they wanted to spend their day sleeping and playing video games before tonight’s show.

 

She walked across the gated motel courtyard and let herself out at the front gate.  She could call for a car, but the weather was nice and she was familiar enough with the city to feel comfortable walking.  Her only possible concern was paparazzi and fans swarming her on the sidewalk, but it was still a novel enough experience to be a minimal risk.

 

There were a lot of people wandering between the shops, taking advantage of the warm late-spring Friday.  There were mothers coraling children on errands, businessmen discussing sales plans en route to lunch meetings, and young couples out on dates.  There were also crowds of college kids escaping their studies to enjoy the beauty of the day.

 

Ino contemplated swinging by the Konoha University campus, but she found that other young adults were most likely to recognize her, and she wanted to preserve the time to herself.  When she had convinced Shikamaru and Chouji to form a band four and a half years ago, she could only dream of signing a contract, producing an album, and going on a national tour. But somehow here they were, halfway through a tour playing venues that were nearly ten times bigger than the bars and music clubs where they had started and working on music for their second full-length album.  It was a wild ride, and there were still a lot of elements of the industry she was learning to adapt to. Life on the road under the ever-increasing public eye was new territory, and she knew it would only get more complicated as their success and popularity grew.

 

For now, though, she could navigate this city with nearly the same anonymity and lack of care as she had the last time she’d come here.  It felt like a lifetime ago. She and her best friend Sakura had been touring the university, which was renowned for its medical program.  At the time, Ino had been entertaining the idea of becoming a neurosurgeon since the band was still working on gaining traction in the music scene.  If Shippuden Studios hadn’t offered them a contract a few short months later, she would have joined Sakura in pursuing her medical degree. It was amazing how quickly the trajectory of her life had changed.

 

She had quite liked the university and city back then.  Built on the shores of a beautiful, large lake, Konoha was always buzzing with vacationers and students, a hub of activity and modernity.  She liked the balance of relaxing beaches and glowing nightlife. It could have been a place for her to flourish. She supposed it might still be, in a way.  Tonight’s concert at Hokage Pier would be their biggest show yet and a potential test of whether they could handle even greater popularity and success. But she had hours before she had to take the stage, and she was looking forward to catching up with her bestie.

 

She was meeting Sakura at Cafe Konan, a lovely upscale bistro built above the beach with a patio overlooking the water.  They had eaten there two years ago after their tour, excitedly discussing the state of the art medical equipment and decorated professors they’d get to work with if they went to school here.  Ino arrived early and procured a table in the corner of the patio with a great view. The beach was already peppered with people spreading out blankets or wading. A few sailboats drifted further out on the water.  Seagulls darted above the surf looking for food. If she had time, perhaps she’d join everyone for a stroll on the beach.

 

Ino spent the rest of the wait enjoying the fresh air and snapping pictures.  Some days she’d take over a hundred, staying up late to sift through them and select the best ones to feature on her Instagram.  She’d always had a good eye for composition and framing, and it had been a natural step to expand her personal account while spearheading the band’s.  As stardom put increasing demands on her time, they’d hired a publicity and marketing manager, Kurenai Yuuhi, to help keep their fans updated and satisfied.

 

“Still attached to that phone I see,” a pleasant voice called, interrupting her study of filters and lighting.

 

“Still attached to that big forehead of yours,” Ino retorted, but she was grinning broadly.  Jumping up from her seat, she embraced her best friend tightly.

 

“It feels like I haven’t seen you in forever!” Sakura exclaimed, returning the embrace.  “How have you been? You look good.”

 

“So do you,” she observed, pulling back.  As much as she made fun of her best friend for her large forehead, she really had grown into it.  She stood before her as a mature young woman, sure of herself and free of adolescent insecurities.  A form-fitting red shirt and white shorts flattered her figure and long legs. Ino was happy to see her so comfortable with herself.

 

“You’re growing your hair out again,” she observed as they took their seats.  “It looks good.”

 

“Thanks.  It’s a little easier to tie back now for labs and surgery.”

 

“And what does Sasuke think of it?” she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.  Sakura just rolled her eyes.

“We haven’t been together for more than five minutes and you already want to talk about boys?  You haven’t even told me how the tour’s going! Boys can wait until after we order.”

 

“Fine, but I expect lots of juicy details.”

 

They worked through the obligatory topics of conversation as they ordered their food and waited for its arrival.  Sakura groaned about the stress of school and the medical field, and Ino complained about the obligations of being a working musician.  The venting, however, was more ritualistic than sincere, as both were excited about the opportunities before them and content with where they were.

 

“Will you have time to visit home before your internship with Dr. Tsunade starts this summer?”

 

“I’ll have about a week, but I might need that time to find an apartment.”

 

“You’re moving here permanently?” Ino asked, a bit surprised.  Her friend shrugged.

 

“I still have a few years of school, and if I continue to get jobs and internships with my connections here, it’s not really worth carting my stuff back and forth for just a week here and there.  Plus you’re on tour most of the time now, and Naruto’s always traveling for his international diplomacy degree. There’s not much to anchor me there anymore.”

 

“But there’s more here,” Ino probed, reading between the spoken words.  “Like Sasuke?”

 

“You are relentless!” Sakura grumbled with a smile.

 

“Only because you’ve been dating the hot pre-law student we met while touring here two years ago for a whole six months, and I just found out about it last week!  I’m entitled to more information as your best friend.”

 

“I know,” Sakura sighed.  It’s just hard to talk about.”

 

“What do you mean?  Is he super weird? He doesn’t mistreat you or anything, right?”

 

“No!  Not at all!  He’s wonderful, just a bit...complicated.”  She swirled the water in her glass, smiling softly.  Ino could see a blush brushing her cheeks. She’d never seen her best friend like this.  They had always been bold about their crushes, at least around each other, but this was different.  It was the delicate and deep feeling of mature attraction, maybe even love. Ino was a bit jealous. But she was also really happy for her.

 

“Sooo, how did you guys meet?  And I don’t mean being in the same tour group as prospective students.”

 

Sakura rolled her eyes, then began her story as they began tucking into their food which had just arrived.

 

“I used to see him all the time in the library, and I was pretty sure I recognized him from that tour, but he was always super focused on his work so I never approached him or anything.  But it was like every time I went to the library to study and get work done, he’d be there with that freakishly intense focus. It turned into a game I’d play with myself--‘where’s the cute guy going to be this time’?”  She chuckled at the memory.

 

“Is he a nerd then?”  Ino asked. “I figured only nerds like you would voluntarily spend that much time studying.”

 

“Ha ha,” Sakura laughed drily.  “And no, he’s not a nerd, he’s pre-law,  _ and  _ he helps at his family’s firm part-time so he’s always busy working on something.”

 

“Ah, so he’s a rich boy.”

 

“His family has money, yes, but I wouldn’t say they’re rich.  He had to take out student loans, same as me.”

 

“Have you met his family yet?”

 

“Hold on a second Miss Nosey.  Do you want me to finish my story or not?”

 

“Fine!  I’ll hold all questions until the end,” she smirked, spearing a scallop nestled amongst her linguine noodles.  “Carry on.”

 

“I didn’t actually talk to him until right before winter break last year.  Tenten, Hinata, and I went to this party that Tenten’s friend Lee was hosting, and Sasuke was there.  I guess he and Tenten’s boyfriend Neji had a few classes together and became friends so we ended up hanging out a bit at the party and chatting a little.”

 

“And he was immediately smitten and declared his love the next day.”

 

“Not even close!” Sakura laughed.  “We didn’t even exchange numbers! And for a while I thought he hated me.”

 

“What?!”

 

“I know!”  She continued giggling.  “I totally didn’t know how to read him!  Sasuke exudes this effortless cool, but he’s actually hopeless with social cues half of the time.”

 

“So why did you think he hated you?”

 

“Because I’d never get the response I was expecting when I tried to be friendly!  Our interactions would be great when we were hanging out in a group, but if I was talking to him one-on-one, he’d seem distant.  He even stopped going to the library to work, or he’d leave shortly after I’d show up, which made it obvious that I was some sort of problem or annoyance to him.”

 

“Oh my gosh Sakura!  And you’re dating this jerk?!”  Ino leaned across the table. “Why didn’t I know about any of this?  That’s awful!”

 

“It’s fine, Ino.  It really wasn’t that bad.  My feelings were hurt, but I still didn’t know him all that well, and I had plenty of school work to keep me busy.”

 

She studied her best friend’s face, reading the echoes of embarrassment and pain as she recounted this part of the story.  She knew Sakura. If she was smitten with a guy, she went all in. She was too honest with her feelings to hold back. Ino felt ashamed that she hadn’t known her best friend was struggling.

 

“I’m sorry,” she said.  “I didn’t know you were going through all of that, and I wasn’t there for you.”

 

“Ino, it’s okay,” Sakura promised, reaching across the table to squeeze her hand.  “I had my friends here, and Naruto visited a lot. It really wasn’t that bad. You already had enough on your plate with your album blowing up the charts and Asuma booking so many interviews and performances for the band.  You didn’t need my drama on top of that.”

 

“But I could’ve handled it!  I’m your best friend. I  _ always _ have time for you.”

 

The promise tasted like a lie even though she willed it to be true.  The band’s success had swallowed so much of her time and energy. Nearly every moment she was awake was spent working on music or travelling to some venue or curating social media posts.  She hadn’t seen anyone outside of the band and crew in months. Realizing her new circumstances might make her inaccessible to loved ones in need was a painful reality check.

 

“I know,” Sakura assured her, trusting in the promise even if it wasn’t practical.  “But this really wasn’t a big deal. I figured I just needed a bit of distance, and I was going to have all summer for that.  I stayed on campus to help Dr. Shizune with some research, and it was kind of nice having the school and city to myself for a while.  I didn’t have to worry about running into Sasuke at the library or while out shopping, until I did run into him on the beach one day.”

 

“I hope you didn’t literally run into him.”

 

Sakura laughed.  “Of course not! I was looking for a spot to sit and read and suddenly there he was.  Apparently his family doesn’t live too far from here, so he and his brother come her to swim sometimes.  I don’t think I would’ve noticed him, but he recognized me and decided to say hi.”

 

“Wait, the guy who was ignoring and avoiding you approached you to say hi?” Ino asked, flipping disinterestedly through the dessert menu.

 

“I know, it totally caught me off guard!  But he was really nice, even though it was a bit awkward.  And his brother Itachi was really nice, too. So we chatted for a bit, and we texted each other once in a while after that.  When he was visiting town, we’d try and hang out a little, and then we hung out more once the school year started up again, and now we’re officially dating.”

 

“Hold on, one minute he’s giving you the cold shoulder and now you’re dating?  Seems like a dramatic change,” Ino said doubtfully, handing her credit card to their waiter before her best friend could protest about not splitting the bill.

 

“He wasn’t giving me the cold shoulder.”

 

“That’s what it sounded like to me.”

 

“I told you, it’s complicated,” Sakura sighed.  “Sasuke is very driven. If he has a goal, he does absolutely everything he can to achieve it.  It’s just how his brain is wired. So when I came around and was being super friendly and seemed to always show up where he was trying to get work done, he deemed me a distraction and tried to distance himself so he could focus on school and stuff.”

 

“He decided friends were a distraction?  Seems awfully utilitarian.”

 

“Not friends.”  Sakura shook her head, a blush forming on her cheeks.  “Just me.”

 

“Oh my gosh, he  _ was _ smitten!”  Ino slapped the table in excitement.  “This is some Mr. Darcy-level denial! Damn Sakura, you go girl!”

 

“Ino stop!” she protested, cheeks growing bright red.  Despite the embarrassment, she was smiling happily.

 

“So what changed his mind?”

 

Sakura shrugged.  “I’m not sure exactly.  I think part of it was just the timing.  We happened to run into each other during the summer when he didn’t have to focus as much on school or work or impressing his father.  Plus I think Itachi liked me, and Sasuke puts a lot of value in his brother’s opinion.”

 

“And now that school’s back in session?  I assume you’re not a distraction since you’ve been dating this whole time.”

 

“I guess not.”  She shrugged again, but Ino could see the blush returning.

 

“Sakura,” she probed as they wove through the other tables to the front door.  “You’re keeping something back. Come on, you can’t hide anything from me.”

 

“I asked him about it when he asked me to be his girlfriend officially, and he told me that everything else was the distraction and...now  _ I _ am his new goal.”

 

“Oh my gosh!” Ino squealed.  “That’s so cheesy but  _ so _ romantic!”

 

“I know!”  Sakura hid her embarrassment behind her hands, ears almost as pink as her hair.  “He has no flirting ability whatsoever.”

 

“Good thing you don’t mind cheesy one-liners,” Ino laughed, pulling her best friend into a hug on the sidewalk.  “I’m really happy for you.”

 

“Thanks.”  She felt the joy radiating off of her, seeping into her own body and dispelling the simmering jealousy with love.

 

“So, do I get to meet him today?  You’d better be bringing him to the show.”

 

“No, unfortunately,” Sakura sighed, pulling out of the embrace.  “He has to help his family this weekend.”

 

“Bummer,” she pouted.  “You have to promise I’ll get to meet him before you two get engaged.”

 

“Okay,” Sakura laughed.  “Do you have much time before the show?  There’s a great ice cream stand on the beach.  We could grab some dessert.”

 

“Yeah, I should have time,” she confirmed.  “Just let me update Asuma. He likes to know where we are in case anything happens.”

 

“Makes sense.”  Her best friend linked their arms and leaned over her shoulder as she sent the text to her manager.  If it was anyone else, Ino would consider it nosy. Instead she opened her camera in selfie mode so they could snap a pic together making silly faces.

 

“Come on,” Sakura chuckled, pulling her along with their linked elbows.  “You listened to me jabber all through lunch. It’s your turn! What’s new with you, besides conquering the world as a chart-topping musician and fashion icon?”

 

She shrugged.  “Not much.”

 

“Come on,” Sakura sighed,”you’ve been on the road for months and have nothing interesting to report?”

 

“Not really.  It’s a lot of the same stuff every day--arrive at the next show’s city, maybe do an interview, practice with the band, write music, do the show, and then hit the road.  It doesn’t leave much time for anything interesting.”

 

“But you get to travel all over the place and meet other musicians and famous people!”

 

“The famous people part rarely happens.  We’re not at the level of fame to be recognizable.  Like I’m not getting swarmed right now by fans so it’s not a big deal if we land a few late night interviews.  People will forget who we are as soon as we leave the set. Which is fine, because my life still has a semblance of normalcy.  I can go to the grocery store or have lunch with my best friend without worrying about paparazzi. I’m just so busy that I rarely get to do such things.”

 

“It sounds complicated,” Sakura observed, studying her friend’s face.

 

“It’s just the way things are.”  Ino smiled to reassure her.

 

“How are Shikamaru and Chouji handling it?”

 

“They’re pretty much the same.  Lazy, of course, but I think part of that is intentional.  It’s part of their public personas. I don’t get it, but it seems to work for the fans.  There’s always a crowd of girls screaming hysterically for them at every show.”

 

Sakura chuckled as they stopped at an ice cream stand, pulling her friend into the line.

 

“And what about you?  Are there swarms of boys begging to see you every night?”

 

“There’s always a few, and sometimes some girls, too.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“Look at you playing to both sides,” Sakura snickered.

 

“Hey, I can’t help it if I’m just so hot that everyone wants a piece of me.”

 

“Whoa there tiger, we’d better get you some ice cream to cool you down.  What do you want?”

 

This time Sakura snuck her money to the cashier before Ino could.  She protested a little but Sakura was already handing her the ice cream, and she had to stop arguing to eat it before it melted.

 

They wandered onto the sand, enjoying the sweet treat and beautiful weather.  The sun danced on the lake, fracturing its reflection into diamonds while boats bobbed and seagulls wheeled through the air.  The sound of waves whispering on the sand and happy voices murmured in the air. It really was a lovely day.

 

“Y’know, I think Sasuke’s a bad influence,” she mused.  “‘We’d better get you some ice cream to cool you down’? Terrible.”

 

Sakura laughed, loud and carefree.

 

“It was wasn’t it?” she chuckled.  “But really, between Sasuke and Naruto, can you blame me?  They’re both hopeless at flirting.”

 

“And somehow they’ve both got girlfriends now.  Isn’t life strange.”

 

“Maybe all girls secretly like cheesy pickup lines,” Sakura mused around a mouthful of ice cream.

 

“Or maybe we take pity on guys for being brave enough to use one.”

 

“Do your fans every give you silly pickup lines?”

 

“Nah.  I can usually tell which ones want to flirt and which ones are simply fans.  I find it’s best to avoid the former.”

 

“Would you ever consider dating a fan?”

 

“Nooo,” she groaned.  “I mean, whoever I date would have to like our music, but I think it’s a little creepy for a person to pursue someone just because they really like what he or she does for a living.  The band is just a small part of who I am, y’know?”

 

“But what if he’s genuinely a nice guy?”

 

“I can’t,” Ino declared firmly.  “If I open up that possibility, I’d have to consider every fan begging me for a date, and I can’t do that.  I need a boundary between my personal life and my professional one, for myself and whoever I might end up with.”

 

“It’s going to be hard to find someone with how much success the band’s having,” Sakura murmured gently.  Ino could feel a hint of pity in her words. She didn’t want to be pitied.

 

“It’s just a little more complicated,” she said brightly, brushing her fringe back into place with her fingers.  “But I’ll figure it out.”

 

“You will,” her best friend agreed with the total confidence of someone with complete faith in making her dreams a reality.

 

“I suppose it’s good we haven’t really made it big yet,” Ino used.  “If I do meet someone, he’s not likely to be obsessed with me already.”

 

“True,” Sakura agreed.  “And you won’t have to worry about gossip magazines or paparazzi scaring him away.”

 

“Hopefully not, though those photographers can be pretty sneaky.  Take, for example, the camera that’s been trialing us since our ice cream stop.”

 

Sakura’s eyes widened a little in surprise.  “What?”

 

“Mhm,” she hummed, crunching the last bite of ice cream cone.

 

“Where?”

 

“Sakura, don’t look for him!  Either you’ll scare him off before I can yell at him, or he’ll take the acknowledgment as permission to set up a mini photo shoot right now.  Just act normal.”

 

“I totally didn’t notice anyone,” Sakura whispered, trying to resist her curiosity to look around.

 

“Shikamaru has the best paparazzi radar, but I’m getting pretty good at spotting them,” she replied with just a smidgen of self-pride.

 

“So if we’re not supposed to look at them, what do we do?  Try and shake them off?”

 

“If I’m doing something super boring I just ignore them until they go away.  Knowing my coffee order usually isn’t tantalizing enough for their magazines to sell.  But sometimes I do confront them and put the fear of Asuma into them.”

 

Sakura laughed at the thought of her friend’s laid-back manager being enough of a threat to scare anyone.

 

“Which will it be this time?”

 

“Come here.”  Ino led the way to a pile of rocks wedged into the sand.  The bank at this end of the beach started rising, eventually turning into a cliff.  Several college kids were diving off the rock with shrieks of joy. There were fewer people at this end of the shore, which decreased the likelihood of her cover being blown when she confronted the paparazzi.

 

“Just relax.  We’re going to lure him in,” she instructed, leaning back on her hands.  She tried focusing on the warmth of the sun and ignoring the adrenaline building in anticipation of the confrontation, but she couldn’t keep a smirk from her lips.  She rarely dealt with paparazzi on her own as usually her bandmates and Asuma were with her, but Kurenai regularly met with all of them to go over how to proceed. The guy following her today looked young, probably an enthusiastic new journalism graduate who couldn’t land a job at a reputable news company.  She almost felt bad for the chewing out she was preparing for him.

 

“That’s a cute shirt,” Sakura observed as she finished off her ice cream.

 

“Thanks.  It was a birthday gift from my mom.”

 

“She actually bought you a crop top?  Willingly?”

 

“Apparently she has no issue with them now that I’m an independent adult.  Plus they’re a trademark of my personal style. I think she’s admitted defeat in her efforts to keep me away from them.”

 

“Excuse me.”

 

Ino was surprised by the polite voice.  She hadn’t noticed anyone approach, which was impressive considering she was on alert waiting for the photographer to come nearer.

 

“You!” she gasped, realizing it was, in fact, the very guy she had been waiting to ambush.  Seeing him up close, he really was young. Maybe he was just an intern.

 

“Would you mind if I take your picture?”

 

“What?”  She couldn’t believe the presumptuousness of this guy!  His polite smile didn’t waver. Was he really acting like he hadn’t been stalking them, sneakily snapping pictures for the past several minutes?

 

“Yes I do mind!” she cried, rallying through her surprise to stalk as intimidatingly as she could across the sand to him.  “I know you’ve already been taking pictures of us. You think I’m unfamiliar with dealing with paparazzi? I know exactly what you’re doing!”

 

“Ino-” Sakura began, but she wasn’t going to let her friend’s politeness stop her now that she’d started.  She really wanted to see that guy’s unwavering smile crumble.

 

“No, I may be familiar with jerks snapping pictures of me everywhere I go, but you definitely didn’t sign up for this!  And we have an exclusive agreement with the Hidden Leaf Times for all media coverage, so unless you produce proof that you’re working with them, which I doubt since this is such a shady way of getting content, you need to hand over all of those pictures you’ve taken and leave.”

 

“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

It was unbelievable.  That smile didn’t move.  Did he think this was funny?  Did he enjoy being this rude?

 

“Oh really?  How about I get my publicity manager on the phone so she can explain in detail all of the legal violations we’re going to smack on you.”

 

“Hang on-” Sakura tried again, but Ino ignored her.

 

“And then I’ll call our connection at the Times so  _ they _ can come after you.  What right do you have to invade a person’s privacy by following them to sneak pictures and then pretend you’re innocent and ask for permission after the fact?”

 

“Ino!”  Sakura grabbed the phone from her hand.  “He’s not paparazzi!”

 

“What do you mean?” she snapped.

 

“He’s just a photography student from the university!  Hinata’s had a few classes with him.”

 

Ino blinked at her friend for a moment, registering the laughter in her green eyes.

 

“It’s true,” the boy agreed.  He still had that grin plastered on his face, but his eyebrows had edged up to indicate bemused confusion.  “I really have no idea what you’re talking about.”

 

“Ino, this is Sai,” Sakura introduced.  “Sai, this is my friend Ino. She’s the lead singer and guitarist of The InoShikaCho Formation.  They’re performing tonight at Hokage Pier.”

 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he smiled.  Ino wasn’t quite ready to make friends, though.

 

“If you’re not paparazzi, then why were you following us taking pictures?”

 

“I was practicing,” he claimed innocently.  “My teachers are always telling us to take any opportunity we can to improve our skills.”

 

“Shouldn’t you ask for permission  _ before _ you take pictures of someone, even if it’s just practice?”

 

“I’ve heard it can be better to ask for forgiveness after the fact than for initial permission.”

 

She didn’t understand this guy.  No matter what questions she threw at him, his smile never wavered.  It was annoying. But the more she looked at it and studied his face, the more she believed him.

 

“But why follow us?  Surely it’d be better to practice with a variety of subjects.”

 

“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve seen all day.”

 

“Wha...Huh?” Ino stammered.  Sai blinked at her, smiling innocently.  Was he being genuine? Sakura snickered behind her.

 

“What the heck!” she cried, feeling flustered.  The prick of heat in her cheeks told her she was blushing.  “You can’t just say that to someone you just met!”

 

“But I’ve been told that honesty is the best policy.”

 

She could only blink at him, dumbfounded, blush growing deeper.  How was she supposed to respond to this? Was he just being smooth, or did he genuinely think she was beautiful?  She couldn’t tell what he was thinking behind that charming smile.

 

“Say cheese,” he instructed, quickly bringing his camera up to snap a picture of her bewildered face.

 

“H-hey!” she stammered.  “I never gave you permission!”

 

“Sorry, but if I always waited for permission, I’d miss too many perfect shots.”

 

She didn’t know why his words made her feel warm all over, but they did.  Before she could gather her wits and come up with a reply, Sakura handed her back her phone.

 

“Shikamaru’s calling you.”

 

“Yeah?” she answered, eyes still glancing at Sai.

 

“It’s nearly time for rehearsal.  Where are you?”

 

“At the beach with Sakura.  Sorry, I must’ve lost track of time.”

 

“Do you need us to send a car to pick you up?”

 

“No, I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

 

“Okay, see you soon.”

 

“I have to get going,” she told Sakura, slipping her phone back into her purse.  “I’ll see you later tonight.”

 

“I’ll be there,” her best friend promised, giving her a big hug.

 

“And you,” she said, rounding on Sai.  “You can keep those pictures as long as you don’t post them on social media.  And you have to give me a copy of all of them.”

 

“Works for me.  Can I get your phone number or email then?”

 

Ino fought against another blush.

 

“Just give them to Sakura.  She’ll get them to me. I have to go.”

 

“It was a pleasure to meet you, beautiful,” he smiled.

 

“Yeah,” she mumbled, turning and hurrying away before she lost her composure in another flustered blush.

 

\-----

 

A few weeks later, Ino lay sprawled in her bunk on the tour bus scrolling through a folder of pictures.  She had been surprised to see Sai again at the concert that evening. It turned out he was interning at the Hidden Leaf Times for the summer and was one of the photographers they sent to cover the band’s time in Konoha.  They hadn’t interacted much, but Ino had been hyper-aware of his presence throughout their interview with the paper and the concert.

 

True to his word, he had passed on all of the pictures he’d taken both at the beach and Hokage Pier to Sakura, who in turn emailed them to Ino.  She had to admit, he had a good eye. She found herself scrolling through the pictures a lot, not because she loved how she looked in them (though they were all pretty flattering), but because they were just  _ that  _ good.  She thought she had a good sense of composition, framing, and lighting, but Sai seemed to have some deeper knowledge that elevated his work to art.

 

She’d used a few of the shots for social media posts, careful to credit him.  She’d learned from Sakura that he didn’t have social media, but he did have a small photography website, so she linked to it at the bottom of each image.  Sometimes when she was bored she’d check his website to see if he’d posted any new pictures. It was her way of keeping tabs on what he was doing without being obvious and bugging Sakura to tell her about him.

 

It was weird.  She didn’t know him at all, and the fact that he’d followed her along the beach still gave her paparazzi vibes, but she couldn’t get him out of her head.

 

She opened a new window in her browser and logged in to her email.  She found a draft that she’d started nearly a week ago and read through it.

 

_ Dear Sai, _

 

_ Thank you for the photographs of our performance.  The band was impressed by their quality! I hope you don’t mind, but we’ve used a few for our social media posts.  We were sure to credit you and link to your website. We probably should have asked permission first, but since you’re fond of taking opportunities as they come and asking forgiveness later, I figured you’d be okay with this.  If I was mistaken, let us know so we can take down the pictures. _

 

_ I don’t know if you are aware, but our band is nearly finished recording our second album, and it’s time to start considering the design elements that will go into it.  We don’t yet have a photographer for the booklet and album art. We were all so impressed with your work at the concert, we’d like to offer you the opportunity. I know you’ll be returning to school this fall, but once our tour’s over, our time will be more flexible, and I’m sure an agreeable arrangement could be made.  Are you interested? Let me know. _

 

_ All the best, _

_ Ino Yamanaka _

 

She reread the text a few more times, even though she nearly had it memorized.  Technically the band hadn’t decided to ask Sai to be their photographer, but the few times she’d mentioned it, everyone else had been open to the possibility.  She was confident she’d be able to get them to agree if Sai said yes.

 

She debated a few moments on whether to add her phone number, chewing her lip.  That was the biggest reason she hadn’t already sent the email. She’d denied him her contact information at the beach; why should she give it to him now?  But now they were discussing business arrangements. It’d be a little rude to withhold it...right?

 

With the sense that she was doing something risky, she quickly typed her number beneath her name and hit send, trying not to squeal.  She was being so silly! All she’d done was extend a business invitation to another professional (even though he was technically still in school and may or may not have a photography license), yet she felt giddy like a little girl.

 

She closed her laptop and rolled out of her bunk, stretching a little.  Maybe she’d go play Mario Kart with her bandmates to distract herself. Turning towards the common room, her phone pinged to alert her of a new notification.

 

Her heart jumped when she saw it was a new email.  Sai had already replied! Why had he done so so quickly?  Was he mad they’d used his pictures? With some trepidation, she opened the message.

 

_ Dear Ino, _

 

_ I’m glad you liked the photographs.  I do think they’re some of my best so far, though half of the quality comes from the subject being photographed.  You and the band made my work far easier, and the results wouldn’t have been as good without you. _

 

_ I’d be happy to work with you on the photographs for your next album.  Perhaps we could meet to discuss your ideas. I know you’ll be in Suna next Thursday.  Shall we meet for lunch? I’ll call you to work out the details. _

 

_ Kind regards, _

_ Sai _

 

Ino bit her thumb to keep back the happy squeals that were trying to climb up her throat for some reason.  He’d included his own phone number, which she saved to her contacts. Then she reread his message, paying special attention to his postscript.

 

_P. S._ _  I hope you come prepared with your beautiful smile.  I’ll bring my camera with me. _

 

It was a strange note to include, but it made her cheeks warm.  Maybe he  _ was _ flirting with her.  She shook her head, trying to brush off the thought.  No, they were simply going to discuss business, even if it was going to be over lunch and he was specifically calling  _ her _ to arrange it.  She could tell him to call Kurenai or Asuma instead, but she was capable of arranging a meeting on behalf of the band by herself.  And if she happened to schedule it when only she was available, surely they’d trust her to represent them all.

 

She brushed her long hair over her shoulder and turned up the volume slightly on her phone before turning again toward the common room, grinning and excited for whatever was coming next.

**Author's Note:**

> Well... Better late than never, right? =P
> 
> I had lots of fun exploring Ino's character! She's definitely underappreciated, and I hope I brought some extra love to her through my writing.
> 
> Thanks to all who left kudos and positive comments on any of my Ino Week fics! I appreciate it. =]


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